“We’re in the midst of an economic crisis, and of course immediately, out comes the traditional rhetoric and the old lines of attack that this is the time to cut back on public services,” he said, “and it’s the time to cut back on any type of compensation. It’s time for all kinds of austerity and restraint.”

“Now, however, is not the time to cut because in an economic crisis you need your public services more than ever for a whole bunch of reasons. One is this is the sector that’s keeping things going while other parts of the economy are shrinking. The public service is vital to our economic recovery and it’s time that all levels of government recognize this!”

“The solution is the implementation of a ‘Buy Canadian’ policy to put Canadians back to work in the devastated manufacturing sector and a commitment to creating green jobs in areas like wind generation.”

Regarding the economic recovery, Layton put it this way: “We don’t say the recession is over until people are back at work.”

OFL leadership team and NDP leader Jack Layton: from left, VP Terry Downey, Layton, president-elect Sid Ryan, and secretary-treasurer Marie Kelly.

Government has a decisive role to play in using investment dollars for good jobs, green jobs, and Ontario- and Canadian-made products, she said. Despite “playing by the rules”, Canadian families are falling behind with four out of five of them living on less money than they had a generation ago.

Governments have abandoned the middle class and encouraged a growing gap between “the fortunate few” and working women and men, she said.

Economic recovery must include good jobs and other supports, including pension security, training and education, and employment insurance that “really covers you from job to job”.

Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath enters convention hall to address delegates.

Labour unity is the order of the day at the OFL convention where 1,000 delegates unanimously chose their new leadership team today.

High-profile and longtime labour leader Sid Ryan is the president-elect, replacing Wayne Samuelson who, after 12 years in office, decided not to seek re-election.

“This is a talented and dedicated team,” says Samuelson. “Once these three announced their candidacy, it didn’t take long for a consensus to develop that they were the right people for the job.”

Steelworker Marie Kelley was acclaimed to the position of secretary-treasurer and will take over from Irene Harris, who has also been in OFL office for 12 years, the first

eight as executive vice-president.

Re-elected to the executive vice-president’s office is Terry Downey, who was an OPSEU executive board member and regional vice-president before her first OFL term in 2005.

Delegates clearly welcomed the leadership team’s message of unity and commitment to building a new economy that serves the needs of working people, their families, and communities.

In his acceptance speech, Ryan cited his labour background in Canada with the Steelworkers union and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The president of CUPE Ontario for the past 17 years reserved special mention for the guidance he received from his father, who told him: “Have the courage of your convictions to stand up and be counted. And those words ring in my ears.”

Leading off nominations for Ryan was Pearl Sawyer, executive vice-president for the province-wide UFCW Local 1000A.

Ryan is the one to lead the OFL at this time, Sawyer told delegates.

“Sid has shown himself to be a formidable voice for working people and their families,” she said.

“He is committed to labour unity. He’s engaged in the search for a progressive strategy to build the new economy and social solidarity. And I believe he is bringing to Ontario labour what the movement needs at this time to make Ontario work.”

“The tireless efforts of UFCW Canada and the AWA on behalf of agriculture workers is the amazing and untold story of the Ontario labour movement,” said OFL President Wayne Samuelson in presenting the Borch Award to Wayne Hanley, who serves both organizations as national president, on the third day of the provincial labour federation’s 2009 convention.

“This is a group of workers that play a fundamental role in our lives as food producers and most Ontarians don’t even know they exist. UFCW Canada and the AWA are the organizations that are finding the resources to fight for the respect and dignity of one our province’s most important and exploited labour forces,” said Samuelson.

Of the 100,000-plus agriculture workers in Ontario, 30,000 are migrant labourers who come to Ontario every season as part of a difficult and lonely effort to earn a living for themselves and their families. Because of their precarious status, migrant farm workers often find themselves exploited by unscrupulous employers. In cooperation with the AWA, UFCW Canada operates four support centres in Ontario to help migrant workers face the enormous cultural and systemic challenges waiting for them in Canada.

“It’s an honour to accept this award on behalf of all the people who have given so much of themselves to this campaign over the past 15 years,” said Hanley, flanked by several long-time activists who have helped to make the support centre program possible.

“Because of their commitment to doing the right thing for the right reasons, health and safety protections for farm workers are now guaranteed under the law, and the days of Ontario denying the basic labour rights of agriculture workers are rapidly becoming part of a very shameful past.

“What we need are over 30,000 of these awards — one for every migrant farm worker who comes to Canada every year. They part with their loved ones each year to work in our fields and produce our food. They are the real heroes, their courage inspires our efforts, and this award belongs to all of them.”

OFL secretary-treasurer Irene Harris made solemn reference to the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, when gunman Marc Lepine murdered 14 women at the Ecole Polytechnique. Two of the women worked there and were members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

In the 20 years since the Montreal massacre on Dec. 6, 1989, spousal violence has claimed the lives of 486 women and children in Ontario.

The OFL and affiliated unions work with the women’s community to bring about public education, new legislation, and collective agreements to ensure that women and children are safe in their homes, workplaces, and communities.

The United Nations designated November 25 the international day to eliminate violence against women in 1999. Women’s activists have marked that day as a day against violence since 1981.

Delegates were being asked to support a resolution to put a stop to internal conflicts, and they did. It directs the OFL and leaders of affiliated unions to sign a pledge to organize the unorganized, not to take members from other unions.

Steelworker Don Fraser is president of Hamilton and District Labour Council, which submitted the resolution.

“Union members want their dues to go to organizing the 70 per cent of workers who don’t have unions, servicing existing members, and mounting political fightback,” said Fraser.

Resolution 69

Submitted by Hamilton and District Labour Council

WHEREAS union density is around 30%; and

WHEREAS there are millions of workers who want

and need to be organized;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the

Federation and the leaders of all affiliates sign a declaration

agreeing not to raid or liberate other legitimate unionized

workers and to concentrate their efforts on organizing the

unorganized.

De Angelis received the award for her initiative, enthusiasm and “never-take-no-for-an-answer” attitude, said OFL executive vice-president Terry Downey.

De Angelis was the OFL’s youth vice-president from 1997 to 2003. She has also been the UFCW’s youth coordinator.